PM Ponta: Romania and Republic of Moldova must become energy independent

Prime Minister Victor Ponta said on Tuesday, on the Tuzla Airdrome, after having visited the Ocean Endeavour rig whereby ExxonMobil and Petrom are carrying out gas exploration drills in the Romanian Black Sea deepwater, that "in three to four years" Romania and Moldova must be as little as possible dependent on gas imports.

"Probably by the end of the year we will know if the natural gas resources found on the Black Sea continental shelf are indeed significant, because Romania needs to be energy independent for two reasons. In the first place, because on political ground it's obvious that — at least in the short and medium term — if not in the long run, the economic relations with Russia will worsen. This appears very clear now. So our being able to ensure the necessary gas supplies from our own resources is a fundamental strategic goal of ours. Secondly, because on August 27 me and [Energy] Minister Razvan Nicolescu will travel to Chisinau, to turn on the tap on the gas pipeline, but we also need gas to ship through the pipeline to Moldova. It is our obligation to think in a few years from now on about Romania and Moldova's energy independence. From this point of view the investments Petrom and Exxon are making are essential for us. Investments in this area alone will be in excess of one billion dollars," said Ponta.

The Prime Minister said that following the agreement signed by Petrom and Exxon with Transgaz, the guarantee exists that as soon as the exploitation of the discovered resources starts, this gas will be pumped into the national transport system and the first beneficiaries will be Romania and Moldova. "So I cannot wish for anything else but for the good news about the prospections to be confirmed, and I tell you that it...